Songs Of Leonard Cohen

very nice!

Beloved on RYM. Its too soft and samesy for my tastes. I like the brill building backup vocals on So Long Marianne.

false

"Suzanne" et "So long, Marianne" sont des classiques à juste titre mais je trouve le reste de l'album peu intéressant

Good ol' Folk music from Canada! Leonard Cohen's voice is so soothing to listen to and it blends perfectly with his music.

I read somewhere once that Leonard Cohen was essentially a poet and the music was just a way of releasing his poems. This albums fits with that theory. It's very lyrically dense and musically pared back. It was a decent listen, but not really my kind of thing.

Its nice is what I can say about it. I appreciate leonard is weaving these fantastic stories and I love the atmosphere they create, but the whole album being the same tempo is just a bit too meh. I still enjoyed it, but I felt like the album was just coasting really, I got very few emotional or energetic highs or lows. All that said so long marianne is fantastic i love it

I enjoyed this a lot but it didn't really grab me. If I could I'd give it 3.5 stars because it's not wowaweewa to get 4 stars but it's not so average that it deserves only 3.

pretty good chill folk album, I am not a huge fan, but decent.

It was really good, but not my favorite. He does really interesting things with singing past when a measure or instrument stops it’s primary attack, and that just lends to totally cool vibes. I got bored after a bit, but my attention span also isn’t the best.

I love the vibes of the 60s. In general, from the point of view of the lyrics, the songs are beautiful. 6-above average (you can listen to).

Not my favorite of the artist, but very solid.

'Suzanne' and 'So long, Marianne' are great. Some songs has beautiful storytelling with understated music. The rest of it is boring.

Amazing song writer. Folksy with deep lyrics ala Dylan. Grew on me as the album progressed. A lot of slow, beautiful finger picking songs. Music that makes you think/feel. 3/5

Eu gostei mais quando terminou o album e tocou outras musicas dele

Some classic Lenny songs

.

- [ ] Production: 9/20 - [ ] Songwriting: 16/20 - [ ] Innovation: 11/20 - [ ] Bangers: 5/20 - [ ] Emotional response: 13/20 - [ ] =54 Lovely stuff

This feels old school, but somehow not in a way that makes me feel nostalgic. I found the recording quality to be a tad bit distracting, and although I don't feel particularly strongly towards the music, I wouldn't mind listening to this again.

Leonard Cohen and his music are a national treasure. Unfortunately, you need to dig through some dirt muck to get to the gold, and this is it. I was bored, but was also listening through a lame car stereo which probably lost the finer dust of this album. 2.5 stars and rounding up based on the catalog to come. ### side note - I was introduced to Leonard Cohen from the Movie “Pump up the Volume” - when Christian Slater dropped the needle on LEonard’s “Everybody Know” I was hooked for life. Surprisingly, his version doesn’t make the soundtrack, but a solid Concrete Blonde cover does. The soundtrack also has another LC cut - “If it be Your Will” among many other nuggets - I encourage you to listen. This is the second time I’ve referenced it since we started the 1001…

Yawn!

lots of weird storys but just background folk works too

por ahí no ma

Very pleasant but probably wouldn't go back to it. 3 stand out tracks

Ich hör ihn ja immer wieder gern und auch hier wertet dass Herz höher als das Ohr. 2.8

Da schweben alle möglichen flüchtigen Aromen vorbei, und keines von denen kann ich so richtig fassen. Ich erinnere Anklänge von/Assoziationen an Reinhard Mey, ABBA, Serge Gainsbourg, Johnny Cash, Tony Marschall. Das bescheuerte ist, ich kann überhaupt nicht einordnen ob ich glaube dass er sich irgendwo in diesen Universen bedient hat, oder die sich in seinem, oder ob das sowieso alles in der allgemein geatmeten Luft lag. Irgendwie ist das Kirmesmusik, dann aber auch wieder hochseriös, und siehe auch sein gottgleicher Status. Man merkt: ich bin verwirrt und mir fehlt der Kompass. Keine Ahnung wonach ich da die Note gebe - gefällt mir supergut? Nein, sicher nicht besser als 3,5. Superschlecht? Auch nicht schlechter als 2. Ok, dann ... 2,8? 2,9? Hm. Na gut: Diese Platte bekommt von mir eine 2,85. Hier und jetzt und for the Ladies.

Melancólico. Buena voz. Pausado

Muy relajante

Decent album, some forgettable tracks

Mellow and complex. Have to be in the right mood for this. Kind of like how I feel about most Dylan.

Good but a little boring

Tres beaux textes. Mon hit: The stranger song. Sur la désire d'être en relation mais la difficulté d'y être heureux.

Leonard Cohen is so cool, but I think I like his older, more gravelly voice more.

For lite rødvin i arbeidstiden til at dette gir fot

I shockingly was super into it. His voice was so smooth and his lyrics felt like they really told a story. It was hard not to listen to it

It's pretty solid. Definitely a folksy introspective Paul Simon vibe with clearly the focus on deeper than average lyrics. Though good, not something I'm likely to revisit.

Exceedingly pleasant. Classic 60's folk. Nuff said.

Lyrical, but samey sounding as a full album

Some pretty songs

Ok

Melancholic and slow. I love the songs "Suzanne" & "How Long Marianne". Everything blend together otherwise. It made me want to listen to Rodriguez

Didn't like it as much as the other cohen. Still pretty decent tho

The compositions themselves are beautiful, but often last 1 chorus or verse too long. There's an inherent mystery in the progressions, but repetition wrings out any interest before the tracks have ended.

He is quite the mellow singer/songwriter. There is no urgency in his music, just peacefully goes through the words. I know he inspired many cause I’ve enjoyed covers of some of his songs.

I know it’s great songwriting but not really my cup of tea.

3.5 stars. Lyrically awesome album. Unfortunately it's the type of music I have to be in the mood for. Best to listen with head phones while relaxing to hear the lyrics properly

6/10 Not really my style, but very good. He's a brilliant storyteller and it shows.

Leonard Cohen is obviouslly an overlooked song writer. I just don't know if this is the album that needs to be on this list.

Yeah I can appreciate Leonard Cohen as a poet and artist but only in small doses. Once song at a time is probably enough for me. That said he was an inspiration to generations of other artists.

Got distracted by life, should probably give it another chance.

false

It was oke. But will not be my favorite music.

Couple of classics already

Was a bit like listening to some gospel music. Kind of visceral, in a weird way.

Better than other LC album but still only meh

Great chill out and get work done music.

Like the voice

I'd listened to Leonard Cohen before and not really liked it. I enjoyed this album though.

Good vocal performance….. that’s about it. Super melancholy and boring

Album cover is a perfect reflection of my face when I saw this was today's album. Dusty. By the end my face was much the same but more pained, more miserable. Nearly half way through and 7 Bowie, 3 Cohen records. Least the next half has to be an improvement.

Hes just not for me

Some soulful and longing, but some are repetitive, as if he writes the songs on the fly and rambling.

This is the first one I'd actually listened to before! While some of the songs are beautiful individually, an entire album at once is too much for me because they all felt very similar at the end of the day. While I'm usually a sucker for religious symbolism, Cohen's singing voice got old quick. I started getting a little annoyed towards the end.

Is it just me, or does Leonard Cohen look like Al Pacino here? Man, I don't know about this guy. Some of his songs are fantastic: Goodbye Marianne and Suzanne are both great. But more often than not I find myself rolling my eyes at his poetry. Like, I'm not a Dylan fan, but that dude clearly can write. If LC were my poetry student, I'd be like, "Dial it back a little, bro. And stop it with the archetypes." Also, his arrangements are shit. There. I said it. Now that I've listened to all 5 of his albums on here (3 too many!), I'm surprised that i vastly preferred his newer stuff. Usually, I go the other way. But he got more interesting as he got older.

I would prefer his greatest hits.

It's like Bob Dylan with a better voice. I'm not a huge Leonard Cohen fan, but like some of his later work. This album was just ok for me.

I think this is one of those types of artists where I can recognize the talent and skill of the performer while also accepting that it's just not my thing. Leonard Cohen, on this record at least, has a lot of soft music that is both enchanting and downright eerie. It takes a particular talent to be able to craft sparse songs with dynamics, and I think that he mostly accomplishes that, but also I just couldn't find too much on here that really turned my ear in a good way. Everything just kind of ran on into one big track. This is the second Cohen album that has been given to me in this project, and I don't know if there's more in the pipeline, but I kind of feel like my mind's made up on the guy.

Never heard of album or artist, so going in totally fresh. First impressions are that it's ok. Peaceful, emotional, poetic lyrics, lots of religious imagery. Not sure I would ever listen to this again, but it felt worthwhile to experience and I wouldn't be annoyed to hear it again. It fell into the background for me, not really in a good or a bad way. Favorite song: Suzanne  2 Stars: ok, not annoying, wouldn't ever choose to put on again

storytime 2

Minimalist singer/songwriter music. His voice together with the acoustic guitar sounds very calm and delicate. Sisters of Mercy was my favourite on first listen, but it might have also been relief at hearing something other than gentle acoustic guitar and strings.

I like a couple songs, but honestly I eventually get bored of this one :(

I think I rated the first album of his I heard higher our if novelty. Now, I'm over it and not into the poetic slow nature.

The more upbeat songs are OK but most of it is just a dirge.

I was so tempted to give this my first 1-star as it was unremittingly one paced and felt like one long diatribe with a couple of breaks in. But then we had a couple of “slightly” more upbeat numbers (e.g. So Long, Marianne) which uplifted things slightly. Not one I shall be returning to, however. I had a feeling this wasn’t going to be my cup of tea, and so it proved. 2/5 (just).

Beautiful but too “weird” for me.

He can clearly write lyrics. However I don’t think I’d listen to this again.

Who gave this man a record contract? From the album cover to the songs – everything is boring. People with English as mother tongue might hear some interesting lyrics, but for me (who speaks English as second language but hears the daily album at work) the lyrics just blend into the background. With this said, the album has nothing to deliver. 2/5

Only one more Leonard Cohen album to go. This is probably my favourite so far, it's much more musical with Leonard actually almost singing. Still not quite a 3/5 though.

Crystal-shop music at quitting time

I actually think I'd really enjoy a book of poems by Leonard Cohen. The words are very meaningful, very strong, very fun. I do NOT need this shit set to music. It becomes a snoozefest. I just realized that I will have to endure 4 more of these albums to get through this list. Wish me luck! Highlight: So Long, Marianne

nada de otro mundo. muy tranquilo y lindo de escuchar, pero no mucho mas

02/08/2026 I could not back old Lenny for this one, I found it very boring. Spotify listeners: 3.4 million

Couldn't get into this. Just kinda meandering instrumentals and rambling lyrics

On an individual level I enjoyed each song, and think this is a beautiful album. But as a whole album it's a tough listen due to how similar each song sounds

Will caveat that my review here is probably skewed by the fact I’ve had two Cohen records in two days, and I think that’s way too intense for anyone who’s not a massive fan given his style. I can fully appreciate Cohen’s influence, legacy and talent for Songwriting, and how much he’s shaped modern music, but this really was a challenge to get through. It’s not engaging enough, each song feels very samey and when that’s just plodding along with little backing music it proves increasingly challenging as the record goes on. Maybe I need to come back to this in my own time and try and appreciate it in isolation? Not an awful record but just not something I found engaging.

I will forget I even listened this within an hour of finishing the last song. It's not bad, but it's not good

songs are beautiful but kind of boring for my taste

i dont like it . very boring

Sorry I literally remember nothing from this album. Neither good or bad.

Not the best album from Cohen.

A little slow for my taste but did have some lovely songs. Suzanne and So Long, Marianne were the highlights. All the rest were nice but a bit boring and repetitive after a bit. Can’t see myself coming back

Big ol trubador vibes. This was the OG folklore. I am envisioning myself on the way to the renn faire

Pretty mundane and nothing really interesting on this album.

no. how can i ever forgot this evil man? who sings about Jesus yet have Aaron’s blood flowing in his veins. maybe he is using new testament stories as a literary device and i don’t have the right to criticise him because i am a gentile, but i really think that it’s not kosher. as everybody knows that shall keep my stance as a cohen hater and i could say this is the most boring album of his that i’ve heard so far. although it is his debut but unlike my formulating reviews of debut albums, it’s not alright. main reasons of complaint are his delivery (as always), the arrangement (what the fuck is with the accordion? or whatever? on sisters of mercy and other instrument that panned slowly from the lest stereo channel to the right stereo channel during the second verse), and of course the annoying and loud ass female backing vocals during so long marianne. and when you add all those things together you got the most sleep-able music in the entire world. like i woke up at literally 6am cause i’m too excited about today’s world cup quarterfinal match in which england (the team i support) faces norway. and after listening to leonard cohen singing 2 hours after the match ended i was lying in my bed and realising that the most rational thing to do next is to sleep. it’s just this sleepy. also my mental state is like when cohen began shouting at the end of one of us cannot be wrong. it’s only 11am but i’ll take a nap anyway. mom said that lunch will be ready in 20 minutes. goodnight everybody. 2/5

I've enjoyed the previous Leonard Cohen albums I've gotten, but this one is just boring. Basic, psychedelic inflected folk music. Feels like an album that rides and dies on it's writing and lyrics, and those aren't aspects I really look for in an album on the first couple listens, so this one is really falling flat for me here.

Like Dylan, Leonard Cohen is not for me.

Lyrics fine but felt tortured listening to

Suicide music but at least this one didn't drag. He still can't sing

We've gotten entries from every other stage of Leonard Cohen's career so I guess it makes sense that his debut would be on here. While I have found a lot of his other albums pretty lackluster I can understand why the debut album of an artist who had a 50 year run would make the list. I find it to be another skippable early folk album but can see why people would enjoy it. There's plenty worse on this list, including from Leonard Cohen himself so I can't complain too much. A couple OK tunes and lot of other filler. When the list is complete I won't be coming back to LH. 1.55 stars

Much better than "You Want It Darker" -- just above the cusp of listenable. Not my favorite but didn't need to abandon this album.

Just kinda there

2.5 ☆ not my cup of tea pero me gustó mucho So Long, Marianne y las background vocals que de repente usaba, También creo que escribe precioso.

Not a leco fan

Listened

Poetic but not my jam

Cohen’s “My divorce just went final” face above pretty much sums up this album perfectly. This is sad, womp-womp music nonstop for 40 minutes. This was my first time listening to Leonard Cohen; I did not get the impression that he is some kind of virtuoso songwriter as I have been told. This record was Dylan-style folk with depressing lyrics and, strangely, lots of religious references. I didn’t care for much of any of it. 2/5

I’m not sure I’m a Leonard Cohen guy. I’m also not a Lou Reed fan, and there are similarities to their styles: lyrically focused; minimalist; esoteric. I appreciated that this earlier work would have fit into the of Vietnam and questioning and Dylan and psychedelia. But outside the context of that period I’m not sure this one holds up as well. My key tracks were the opener Suzanne and The Stranger Song, which was more melodic with the finger-picking guitar. This album, for me, is adequate but I probably won’t remember to come back to it again.

Random thoughts: * I'm not sure if I'll be able to fill out 5 solid reviews for Leonard Cohen albums. Some artists are way over-leveraged in 1001. Leonard maybe just needs 2 max. * Suzanne and So Long, Marianne are the standout on this one. * I will be a broken record on Leonard Cohen: just skip the albums and hit the compilation albums, The Best Of Leonard Cohen and More Best Of. I've owned these ones for a long time. Not sure how I even got introduced to them but I remember a phase post 9/11 where I listened to these a lot. Which sounds about right. * Leonard Cohen is downer music overall and you got to be in the right mood for it. * Anyway, appreciate Leonard but just go to the hits.

Sorry if this is harsh, I would’ve given it 2.5 if possible. But then 3 feels too high. I think its great background noise and peaceful but (controversially?) quite boring. Also a lot of the lyrics that sound like poetry actually mean nothing when u think about them properly. I dont have an example nor will i provide one. Also making the best song on the album the very first one is just a recipe for disaster

Maybe when I am older I will understand...

Mellow album. Super minimal with mostly acoustic guitar and vocals. 2.5/5.0

This went down better than the previous Cohen album I’ve had on this list. It’s nice for what it is, some of the lyrics are good, and it is executed well. Not really for me though.

too sad for me

Æjj, er ég ekki bara leiðinlegur að gefa tvær?

It’s like if Bob Dylan sounded worse …

The lyrics are better read than accompanied by pedestrian guitar.

master song

Sisters of Mercy was really interesting! The rest was a decent audiobook (stole that joke from someone else).

Ist mir ruhig ohne viel Abwechslung.

Albums are all good but similar. Not my thing

Not a fan, great song writer

Lou Reed if he was whimsical and liked folk

Sound of a more well spoken Bob Dylan.

It's not a bad album but he *is* a bad singer

not my cup of tea

i dobt care

A readily identifiable voice, almost hypnotic. Easy going, pleasant, poetic. Excellent lyrics. Very stylistic. Not my style but my rating is my personal preference and not at all a reflection of the quality of the work, especially for its time.

I'm sure it hit different in its time but this just doesn't do much for me.

Warm vocals and chill guitar but most songs are extremely similar in sound and content. Highlights: "The Stranger Song", "So Long, Marianne", "Stories of the Street"

Sounds ok, but this genre is not a thing i can dig

Suzanne — Im not super sure I’d vibe with this 60s album.. Master Song — I feel quite iffy on it Winter Lady — maybr im just sad but this song isnt that bad The Stranger Song — okay I’m not living for the folk nor the religious themes unfortunately Sisters of Mercy — i could’ve sworn that i didn’t check the box for folk and country So Long, Marianne — oh em gee women i like women Hey, That’s No Way To Say Goodbye — Stories of the Street — it was okay Teachers — this one was pretty alright too One of Us Cannot Be Wrong — The yelling hello 😭

songs of love and hate ist ausreichend

I don't know what playlist these songs could possibly be a part of

Schwieriger Fall. Er kann nicht singen und die Kinderchöre sind schlimm. Dann doch lieber das erste Album von Georges Moustaki (1969). Das ist natürlich nicht auf der EN/US Liste. Wird ja auf französisch besungen.

Derivative

Hardly world changing

I think I hear a fog horn: "Boooooooooring!"

Nah

I really thought I would enjoy folk music more than this project is showing me I do. This is so fucking boring.

2.5

Not an album I'd return to in a hurry. Mundane and fairly depressing.

Made me sleepy. I was a tad bored. Leonard isn't for me. I could definitely see this being part of a soundtrack for an indie film, though (the question is: 'would I watch it?' probably once).

The man speaks the words in a very sad voice, accompanied by sad music.

Classic folk, ok

meh

I think his song writing is lost on me. It seems like good poetry but I can't follow it on the first listen so it doesn't do much. I don't like how he goes back and forth between two chords a lot. . . . lazy I like the one man band sound on "Sisters of Mercy" Maybe I'm just not in generous mood, but I think he would have been better as a poet: I don't care for these songs

not bad but wont remember or revisit

The vocals are very Dillonesque, but I prefer Dillon. This was a bit too folksy-treacle for me.

One of my musical idioms is that I'm not a lyrics guy but realize their power. To me, Voice and Lyrics are 2 intruments just like a songs guitar, bass, drums, keys, etc. You don't have to have lyrics & you don't have to understand them. BUT, lyrics have the most power over any other instrument when done correctly. This album is a 0.0 on music, voice, instruments, skill, & originality, but (probably) a 10.0 on lyrics. I'm sure this would be rated differently if I listened to it 10 times, but don't have that in me. You can see his greatness but more as a poet imo.

Indie before indie. Perfect for a soft, rainy morning tho no one song stood out to me 2/5

Not sure what you have to be on to make this something you want to listen to.

Not a fan, I can take a song or two. But I couldn't wait for this to be over. 1.5/2

Well done, Leonard, this one didn’t make me mad! We have the premonition of future awfulness in the backup singers, but as a guy with some songs and a guitar he’s tolerable at this point, if a little dull.

2.5

Nice

I liked so long, Marianne

Temu Bob Dylan

3/18 Boring

- Religious imagery, not necessarily my favorite - Talented singing - Liked ‘So Long, Marianne’

If you had a party and wanted people to leave, throw this in the ole hi-fi!

Of all the Leonard Cohen I’ve had to listen to, this was by far the best. His voice was much better when he was younger. I knew Suzanne. I’m still not a fan though.

I respect the legacy of Mr. Cohen's body of work, and I respect the art form of storytelling. While the musical accompaniment was peaceful and pleasant, the overall experience, to me, was just kinda boring

54 albums in and have had two Leonard Cohen albums already - the last one and now the first. On "You Want it Darker" Cohen's voice sounded weather-worn and life-worn. Here he just sounds like some guy. Sometimes it feels like the music is incidental, like Cohen had the poems and wanted a way to make people actually sit and listen to them. Though there are a few moments to perk up the ears ("So Long, Marianne," for example) they are few and far between. Note: when the album was done Spotify autoplayed Tim Buckley's "Song to the Siren" and I thought it was still Cohen and was like, "oh I should rethink this." Nope.

Well, there’s more liveliness in his voice on this album isn’t there? I’m not sure I like it. It’s less poetic. This is another one of those albums where it sounds like it could have been performed in a castle by the Kings musician. But the problem would be that the King would be bored with this music and have the kings musician executed.

Muito chato. Parece um história complicadamente entediante

Eh, not my favorite of Leonard Cohen’s.

Don't know what to say, the singing was a bit monotonous

Almost gave this a higher rating out of a sense of, I guess, potential? It feels like something I could get more out of in the right mood. I even tried. Listened to it like I do everything else on the list, headphones on, undivided attention, lights low. I opened a window to let the cold in a little bit and listened to it twice trying to find that thing I missed about it. I don't know, man. I don't love the drone of it, the writing isn't strong enough to make up for a pleasant but weak voice, and it's not got much variety to it. None of those are bad on their own but I felt like I was meeting the album 75% of the way the entire way. Also the song where he's lusting after a Nazi really didn't work for me? but to be fair I'm going to find someone involved with the Velvet Underground annoying even outside of the nazi thing anyway, could have been a three or maybe even a four in the right mood and circumstances but instead it's a two. dude's got four more albums on the list (please stop including so many albums by the same artist) so maybe one of us can redeem ourselves here

deadass ruined the entire album with the last 30 seconds of the last song, one of us cannot be wrong.

Not for me...

Nah

Wow, I had high hopes for this one but really did not care for it. So dull. Vocals and song structures are monotonous, and even the lyrics failed to make much of an impression on me. Listened to: walking the High Line. Favorite tracks: Sisters of Mercy, Stories of the Street

I like a bit of melanin my music and often sit in a dark room or in bed at night wallowing in sadness. Not that I am naturally a depressive type but find some comfort or consolation in such music. So one would think a Leonard Cohen album would do the trick for me but it never as. When I was 17 a friend of mine recommended Cohen to accompany our teenage angst which was all the fashion then. It never grabbed me then and still doesn’t. I soon tire of his monotone voice singing over simple guitar chords. I get the impression that it isn’t the music which is important but his use of words in his lyrics. I don’t shy away from lyrics but never spend endless time analysing them for hidden meanings. I’m from Yorkshire so prefer straight talk. There are one or two of his songs which I do like. Like Suzanne on this album which is a classic covered by many other singers. So I can see why he is held in high esteem but from my point of view I don’t get it. As a footnote my 17 year old friend got himself into a lot of trouble and tragically committed suicide later in life. I also knew a work colleague who never had any luck in relationships who played Leonard Cohen music a lot. She also died very young. Makes me think Leonard Cohen albums should come with a Government health warning. 2/5

I like this album more than You Want It Darker, but I’ve decided that Leonard Cohen is not for me. He sort of sings on this one, which I prefer to the spoken word approach. Musically, I love the pared down, folky acoustic vibe, even though every song sounds the same. I recognize that his lyrics are poetry, but something about them feels so distinctly masculine. I can’t connect lyrically, and I feel no emotional impact, even when I read the lyrics along with the album.

i do not really care for american folky poetry songs but i'll take leonard cohen over bob dylan anytime

no está horrible y maluco pero si bastante aburrido la verdad, ya para la mitad es como too much y ya no quiero escuchar más

Ahhh, I can hear the beginnings of something here.

I've heard enough of Leonard Cohen to say he's one of those musician's you either get or you don't. I don't. I really gave this album a couple good listens. I just can't find any enjoyment in this at all. It's not terrible. It's just not for me. 2

Now I love a singer songwriter. And I love a melancholic song. But for goodness sakes Leonard, lighten up sometimes. My day had already been ruined by the time I got to So Long, Marianne. And blow me if he doesn't dive straight back into his dirge fest after that. 2* for the undoubtedly poetic (if overly gnostic) lyrics.

Took me three attemps to finish. Cohen's album just uses his singing and a guitar, for the most part. Master Song, So Long, and Stories are the better tracks, but for the most part, the music is uninteresting and cannot capture my attention. For that reason, it's hard to listen to it outside. Sometimes Cohen is not even singing, but rather is talking, making this some sort of a spoken word. Perhaps some will enjoy the lyrics, but I am a music fan. Def not going to re-listen it apart from the selected tracks maybe. Not ugly, but sometimes not enjoyable, just two start for this one.

honestly... i'm not a huge fan of people who sound like they're half-singing, half-talking. it's just not my cup of tea. i love the instrumentals, but it's intolerable with that voice (not that i'm gonna judge anyone who likes this album a lot, i can understand!). i think "winter lady" and "teachers" get a pass, though; those are when leonard's voice matches the vibe of the instrumental. now, i'm usually super easy to please music-wise. am i also super picky? yeah! so take my negative reviews with a grain of salt, and don't let anyone's opinion dictate yours.

I try so very hard to like LC…. This is as close as I get. 1. Suzanne 2. Sisters Of Mercy 3. So Long, Marianne

Boring tbh

Not really my type of music. Sounds very boring

нот куайт май темпо(диднт рили листен вилл трай ту ин зе обозримом фьючер)

2 out of 5 Couple of decent songs, rest were too folky for me

Скучно

There are many albums that I haven’t heard in this world and this was one of them. I know who Leonard Cohen is because of Hallelujah. This album I could have gone without hearing it. I liked So Long Mariane. That’s it. 2/5.

Too folksy for me

Respect Leonard Cohen. But not really my vibe.

My Rating 2.0. How can you make this album sound so sad and boring when you have templates already set up for you to transform your poetry into something insightful and catchy???? See Dylan (Freewhelin Bob Dylan) and Simon and Garfunkel ( Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme)

Lyrical, mellow

Not as bad as the other Cohen album inflicted on me but still deeply unpleasant. I don't mind terrible singers but terrible singtalking is not my thing.

Now I’m depressed.

apparently it’s supposed to have been an influential album…it only influenced me to turn it off.

Yeah, not really my cup of tea. But, this dude made Hallelujah! I love the chill vibes.

It sounded more than a storytelling album with some basic music on the side, rather than a musical album. Very monotone, all songs sounded the same, normal, but the same. Nick Cave vibes. Did have some interesting lyrics though - the stories.

It all sounds like the same song all over again. I wouldn't turn this off if it were playing at a chill evening with friends and we're drinking wine, but you wouldn't hear me saying "Hey, we should put on some Leonard Cohen".

Would not buy

Not my cup of tea

Meh

bardzo smutne piosenki

Not for me

Well. I initially thought that the finger style guitar and the lyrics were not so bad either, but I changed my mind after 4 songs. The vocals drone on worse than the instruments. Yet another 60s boring record.

Good but boring

I hate myself for not enjoying this, as I adore folk and singer-songwriter stuff. Furthermore, I love Stan Rogers despite not being Canadian. I always meant to give Cohen a shot, but I was left scratching my head after this. It's fine, but not particularly great. Wasn't impressed by the composition or lyricism or vocals, or much of anything really. I know there's later works from Cohen on this list and I certainly hope I find them more appealing than this.

Boring boring boring.

I'm just not into whatever leonard cohen makes... it's good sure but it's just boring and got bored half way thorugh

4/10 - just super soft lyrically driven songs but no real tune grabs you

Fairly inoffensive but just boring. I liked some songs more than others but I don’t think I’d ever choose this as an album to put on.

A little boring 60s folk, but it’s good enough I guess. Basic two star album.

Es increíble el ambiente que crea una guitarra. Sin embargo no conectó conmigo.

Not feeling it

Decent lyrics. Lazy melodies. Poor singing. Not for me.

Nothing really caught my interest or ire.

Moo-dee

Couldn't get over the awful singing, but I understand this is quite the series of lyrics and inspired many other artists. The guitar is quite nice, and I liked the stripped-down nature of the music, just vocalist and guitar. That makes it feel a little more intimate.

I really wanted to like this, I love this era of folk music but it just feels a little too "same-y" and bleeds together. I'm sure I'll get crucified but it's a 2/5 for me.

I like a lot of his stuff. But this album Was a miss

the only song i like by him is "I'm your man" and its not even on this album.

When Cohen is good he's really great. This album, however, doesn't have so much of that. Sometimes he gets more caught up in the stories than the music, there are many such stories here. It all flew by quite quickly. I know he does better, I hope those albums are here too.

I had never heard any of Leonard Cohen’s work before and I wasn’t sure what to expect. Unfortunately this album didn’t really grab me. I listened to the whole album about 3 times and my biggest positives is that the instrumentation is super impressive, especially the guitar playing. The guitar player on this album is genuinely so talented it’s crazy. But the problem I had with the album the most was just that I don’t really connect with songwriting if the song is super slow and there’s no humor involved. It’s obviously not a bad album, it just did nothing for me and I didn’t end up saving any songs. But again it’s a solid folk album, just not for me.

On se fait chier

Boring zzzzz 2/5

Sorry, am I going mad? 'Suzanne' and 'Hey That's No Way To Say Goodbye' are EXACTLY the same tune melody?! I was just thinking about how fucking samey it was and then he started singing a melody I'd already heard!! I just.... can't...

He uses the same melody multiple times. It was only interesting once.

Lullabies for me. Don’t listen when you’re driving.

This is music for people who like watching paint dry

Gear: INAWAKEN Twilight-DS Artwork: 😐📸🔳 Production: 🎧😘🤌 Music: 🛐💭🥱 Rating: ✝️🕎(☯️)/5

Dude is boring. 2/5

3. beautiful lyrics

I guess I don’t really love folk music. This was very good from the perspective of a lyricist. But I did not think very much of the song structures.

a few good songs but what is he talking about?

2.0

Just not great, but not absolutely awful

I ended up adding Suzanne to my Liked Songs list. But at this point I have to accept that not really liking Cohen is a me problem. I tried!

Whatever

This isn’t the version of Leonard Cohen I’m looking for. I want it darker, more brooding, the Cohen more steeped in shadow and gravity. This early album just doesn’t hit that mood for me.

it's fine. I found it soothing, but also generic. it just faded into the background.

melancolico pra porra

A little bit boring and dreary - like Dylan on valium. Don't hate it though but maybe just wasn't the right album to fit my mood today.

This dude looks constantly sad in all of his pictures. His music reflects this

Heart sank, was a little better than expected

Song writers should sometimes stay as writers... I like a couple of Cohen tracks but some is so dry and droll its hard work.

I get it. But also unfortunately, pretty dull.

meh 2.5/5

listened to the first few. suzanne is a banger, gonna rate it low js because it’s not great excel music.

It's fine. I've listened to it before, but it was unmemorable for me. I'm not a huge fan of the ambling songs without a chorus or more regular rhythm. It's the Dylan style, where it's just singing and singing and singing, ambling. I just don't care for it. Will likely not come back to it. His voice is just boring.

This feels like the kind of album that is "important". A bit like poetry with some music attached. I've never really been into poetry.

I generally like Leonard Cohen, but beyond Suzanne, this album didn't really do anything for me.

Love his song Hallelujah but I guess not much of his other stuff?

Too slow for my taste. Cohen is superb but this album is just not my cup of tea. Didn’t manage to get through the whole thing.

Only Leonard Cohen song i like is his Hallelujah. This is a mid album. 4/10

Wonderful finger-plucking guitar on this album. But I continue to be underwhelmed by Leonard Cohen. He’s just not for me. There are some thought-provoking lyrics and nice musical moments, but overall it felt monotonous to me. I was bored.

Harmonies of the backup singers. Symbolism in the lyrics are lost on me. Leonard C wasn't played in my growing up house that I recall. Songs are too melancholy for a rainy-ish Sunday morning. Awesome Spanish Guitar? on Teacher. Master: meaning evades this listener; the Reddit discussion gives this song deep religious meaning, so.. OK to that. Listened before? N Saved to library? N Favorite track(s): The Stranger. Teacher. ⭐⭐ Didn't like it. Didn't hate it, Didn't understand it.

Leonard Cohen is another one of those artists I’ve heard of, but never actually listened to. Considering how many albums he’s got on the 1001 Albums list though, I do appreciate the Generator dropping me in at the earliest possible point in his discography! Frankly, I had a similar experience with my first Leonard Cohen album as my first Nick Cave album a few weeks back – I can’t really find myself resonating with this style of songwriting, even if it’s not all uncomfortably explicit murder ballads this time. My enjoyment of the LP did pick up toward the end and I found Cohen’s voice much less grating than Cave’s, but still not enough to push Songs of Leonard Cohen higher than two stars for me. A bit scared to dig further into his discography, but hopefully things get better from here! Highlights: Master Song, So Long Marianne, Stories of the Street, One of Us Cannot Be Wrong

1. Suzanne - 4 Lyrically this is so random. At times it feels like it's brilliant and at other times it loses you. There's barely any respite between the lyrics as well. It just seems like a constant droning of lyrics that gives you no time to figure out what's exactly going on in the song. 2. Master Song - 5 It's a decent track. Lyrically it's very bang average. The strings and small brass, particularly the brass at the end of the track are small lovely touches. 3. Winter Lady - 6 Another decent track. Much better written than the previous two, but nothing so far has been anything overly phenomenal. 4. The Stranger Song - 5 Lyrically a little bit perplexing. Not a bad song but again, nothing excellent that would warrant another play. 5. Sisters of Mercy - 4 Exactly the same kind of track as the first four. 6. So Long, Marianne - 6 Very enjoyable track. Background vocals add a lot of great sound alongside a brilliantly paced guitar. Lyrically it's also the strongest on the album so far. 7. Hey, That's No Way to Say Goodbye - 5 Decent love song. Nothing remarkable about it but lyrically it's very enjoyable. 8. Stories of the Street - 5 Much better sound on the guitar and good vocals. Lyrics are a bit strange at times. 9. Teachers - 4 The guitar on this is amazing but lyrically and vocally this is unpleasant. 10. One of Us Cannot Be Wrong - 3 Just not an enjoyable track in any aspect. Average Rating: 4.70 Adjusted to 5-Point Scale: 2.35 Rounded Down: 2 Stars

I think this one was better than I'm your man, but still not really something I was super moved by.

Easy listening, relaxing, but not my style

I didn’t know so many white guys with guitars sounded so uniquely boring.

shut up ya boring bastard

Just a bummer of an album. Everything quiet and too mellow and gloomy. So Long, Marianne stood out. 2/5.

Ihan mukavan kuulosta hidasta laulantaa ja sopii taustameteliksi, mutta kyllä jo puolessa välissä alkoi hieman kyllästyttää kun jokainen biisi on täysin samallainen ja voidaan Hallelujah lyödä tähän samaan kastiin.. Vois olla kolmonen mut ehkä tän päivän olotila ois vaatinu jotain menevämpää ja lasketaan tällä kertaa alaspäin

Tää on vähän hankala levy kuunnella työn ohessa, kun ei oo oikeen näissä biiseissä mitään muuta kuin tarina, eikä pysty siihen keskittymään samalla.

Vaikutti siltä että vaatisi enemmän keskittymistä kuin mitä projektissa töiden taustalla pystyn antamaan, joten arvostellaan pelkän musiikillisen ensivaikutelman pohjalta, joka oli kenties vähän liiankin "rentoa" kitaran näppäilyä omaan makuun

Boring old man rock. Fine as background music but it doesn't have anything that excites me or speaks to me on an emotional level

This guy seems like a pompous asshole that likes the smell his own farts

This is not my jam, and if it played on the radio, I'd very probably change the station. That being said, it's pretty crazy to just hear a guy's voice and not have it be autotuned to high heaven.

Very clear vocals and good lyrics. Didn't hit me terribly hard though.

I know, I know, I’m supposed to like this guy. He’s one of the greats. All I can say is zzzzzzzz. Go be a poet.

I seem to like the songs of Leonard Cohen more when they're performed by others.

meh

I thought I would like this. I really didn’t.

Boring

Like Bob Dylan… but American. They’re both American! And he’s also not as good. Pretty boring album.

this album was so boring not even gonna lie

He is so boring.

Old songwriter simple songs

Finally done with Leonard Cohen. god gives his toughest battles to his strongest soldiers

2/5. Из вежливости переслушал.

Old fashion

Nelabai.

2 stars. I know this guy because of Hallelujah

Sooooo slow and sleepy

I found this to be very boring

I don't know what to make of this. He looks he would be crooner like Sinartra bur it's more like beatnik spoken word poetry jam. It reminds me of William Shatner's attempts at singing but Cohen has some talent. His prose throughout is too similar in the vast majority of his songs. So Long, Marianne is the best song in a sense that it's a more melodic song than others. He is songwriting is good but I just see anytime I would listen to this beyond this list. 2 only because it's more interesting than good.

It was ok.

I dont remember this album being so doleful.

Almost hypnotically boring and mumble-y

The whole album is very ominous and sometimes creepy but not usually in a way that I like

Not a fan.

What kind of drugs was this man on?

He sounds like the kinds of guy who believes that he is the smartest guy in the room, is bummed about nearly everything, and has disdain for a lot of people. Even though, that describes me a lot of the time, I found this album boring and depressing. Go figure?

point8.

A dark and mellow atmospheric ride. A bit too much similarity between the songs do cause it to be a bit monotonous (is that a real word?) for a whole album stretch. It has it's time and place, but I'll stick to Dylan for my 60's folky stuff for now. Enjoy the lyrics though. Favorite track: The Stranger Song

2.5

Lyrically, I really enjoyed this. It was eloquent, evoked proper emotions, and was more thoughtful than most of the song writing you find here. You're living the story Cohen is painting as you listen. The acoustic guitar is also soothing. The primary issue is that Cohen's voice is pretty monotone, and the album begins to get boring quickly in every other aspect. It feels so incredibly long despite being only 10 songs.

Alright, some Leonard Cohen! I still think he looks like fuckin Al Pacino! lol I love his voice. It's so smooth and deep. Lot's of story in his songs. Meh, this one wasn't that great. 2 stars

I guess I like the overall morose sound but its very same-same and I don't care to listen to the lyrics